Progress of longwall automation in the United States coal industry

Conference · Fri Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:143742

Hart, W M ^[1]

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1. Cyprus Coal Co., Littleton, CO (United States)

Longwall mining continues to increase its share of underground production. There has been more than a five-fold increase in longwall production from 1 980 to 1992, ranging from 6% to 31%, respectively. This equated to approximately 120 MM tons during 1992. These production increases continue to bring with them increases in automation of the longwall shields, shearing machine, armored face conveyor, stage loader, pump station and controls. The operation and performance of these systems are discussed. A system, once installed and commissioned in its totality, would provide a fully automatic longwall face capable of: operating all shields in accordance with the cutting method selected by the face operator; mining the endgate areas including the double cut and the turnaround both for the shearer and the shields; robotics mining by the shearer throughout the face and face ends; and viewing the full face operation from a remote display screen. The US coal industry has remained competitive by world standards throughout the last couple of decades, and automation technology is playing a major role in ensuring that it remains competitive in the world. High standards of safety, productivity, low cost and living require that automation be a part of our lives. It is the author`s belief that within a few years a reliable and completely automated longwall shearing system in the US will be available.

• OSTI ID: 143742
• Report Number(s): CONF-930646--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
AUTOMATION
BELT CONVEYORS
COAL MINING
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC GUIDANCE
LONGWALL MINING
PRODUCTIVITY
SHEARER LOADERS
SHIELD SUPPORTS
USA